Vaccines

hi,
my daughter is 6 month's old, as we are in US she has not been given the BCG shot, which I happen to notice today itself, and i am really worried, thinking if i have missed it, because in india they give at birth and i am not sure when we have to go back to india for good..
So please suggest what are the alternatives and can this shot be given or its not needed.
Aadhu's mom, would really apprieciate if you can reply and of course all others too.
i am visiting india in 2 months.
In tension...thankyou.
rose

 

Rose - please dont panic. The BCG is not a must nor does it protect very well against the usual forms of tuberculosis. Its value (which is still doubtful) is in protection against severe forms of TB. Right now the best thing is to not worry, get the shot on your next India visit only if you are planning to move back to India within the next 3-5 years; otherwise just leave it.

Vanathi.

 

I have been looking for a thread on Vaccinations and happen to find this one today. I'm with Mangai about making an informed decision about vaccinating our children and about the controversial side of vaccinations.

As a child, I received most of the common vaccines like MMR, DPT, Tetanus toxoid, IPV, and OPV. That's as far as I remember. As an adult, I've come across a lot of information about the life-changing effects of vaccines in some people. I've also experienced, from an observer's point of view, how life-changing these effects can be, when I lived with someone who had contracted polio as a result of being administered the OPV. Life is not easy for that girl. The irony is that her's is a family of doctors who advice others to get vaccinated.

These experiences have left me confused about whether I would like to have my children vaccinated. As far as I have researched and understood, I think inactive vaccines like IPV and toxoid vaccines like DPT are safe. Of course, I would like my children to be protected from MMR, but I have to think about it some more. As for chickenpox, I think acquiring active immunity is better than receiving passive immunity through vaccines. I don't know what I would do if my children were to study in the US and the school authorities require a mandatory list of vaccinations to be completed; I still have to research that.

I'm also confused about the annual flu vaccinations in the US and the ongoing H1N1 vaccinations, but I guess that topic belongs to another forum.

The bottomline of what I want to say is - I would not want to vaccinate my children just because the vaccine is available in the market and my doctor wants to sell it to me. No offense meant to all the doctors out there. It's just that I'd like to make an informed decision and think about the consequences of vaccination just like I would think about anything else for my children.

Thanks for reading. Your thoughts and comments and most appreciated.

 

Hi friends...
My bob baby completed two months and 9 days... within a day or two will go for second month vaccination...

My doubt is .. Am I late by 9 days for vaccination?...will it affect him?... within how many days after completion of two months we have to go for vaccination?... pls any mother clarify me
Krithi